Preface

Hello tech experts, I am a technical support engineer from key-iot. Recently, I’ve been deeply involved in 5G network deployment and optimization projects, particularly in industrial IoT and vehicle networking applications. I’ve noticed that most discussions about 5G technology in forums remain superficial. Today, I want to dive deep into the essence of 5G networks from a technical architecture perspective, combined with our actual deployment experience, and discuss the technical challenges in real-world applications.This article is not aimed at general audiences but focuses on technically-minded professionals. It will involve extensive technical details and real test data. If you’re interested in the technical implementation details of 5G, this article should provide valuable insights.

Deep Technical Analysis of 5G Network Architecture

Essential Differences Between SA and NSA Architectures

Many articles mention SA and NSA, but few deeply analyze the fundamental differences in their technical implementation. From our actual deployment experience, the differences between these two architectures are far greater than imagined .SA (Standalone) Independent Networking centers on having a complete 5G core network architecture, including:

• AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function)
• UPF (User Plane Function)
• SMF (Session Management Function)
• AUSF (Authentication Server Function)

Under this architecture, all uplink and downlink connections are achieved through 5G base stations, fully unleashing 5G’s core capabilities like network slicing and edge computing

.NSA (Non-Standalone) Non-Independent Networking adopts a hybrid architecture of 4G core network + 5G base stations. The problem with this architecture is that while the wireless access part uses 5G technology, the core network processing capability is still limited by the 4G architecture, unable to achieve true low latency and high reliability

.From our actual test data, SA networks significantly outperform NSA networks in latency performance. This difference is particularly pronounced in URLLC application scenarios.

Technical Challenges in Spectrum Resource Allocation

5G networks employ entirely new spectrum resource allocation strategies. From a technical implementation perspective, 5G primarily uses three frequency bands:

• Sub-6GHz (mainly 3.5GHz and 2.6GHz)
• Millimeter wave band (24GHz-100GHz)
• Mid-band (1-6GHz)

Each frequency band has unique propagation characteristics and application scenarios. In our actual deployments, the 3.5GHz band is most commonly used because it achieves a good balance between coverage range and penetration.

Deep Technical Analysis of Three Application Categories

eMBB Technical Details and Implementation Challenges

eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband) as the first commercial 5G scenario has relatively mature technical implementation . However, from an engineering practice perspective, eMBB’s main challenges include:1. Carrier Aggregation Technology Achieving higher data rates by aggregating multiple carriers, but this requires terminal devices to have stronger signal processing capabilities.2. Massive MIMO Technology Improving spectral efficiency by increasing the number of antennas, but this also introduces problems of inter-antenna interference and signal processing complexity.3. High-Order Modulation Technology Using high-order modulation techniques like 256QAM to improve data transmission efficiency, but requiring extremely high signal quality.

URLLC Technical Challenges and Solutions

URLLC (Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications) is the most challenging application scenario for 5G

. From a technical implementation perspective, URLLC faces main challenges including:1. Latency Control To achieve ultra-low latency within 1ms, optimization is needed at multiple levels:

• Physical layer: Adopting short TTI (Transmission Time Interval)
• MAC layer: Optimizing scheduling algorithms
• Network layer: Edge computing deployment

2. Reliability Assurance To achieve 99.999% reliability, requirements include:

• Redundant transmission mechanisms
• Fast retransmission algorithms
• Multi-path transmission

In our vehicle networking projects, 5G network coverage requirements for autonomous vehicles are extremely strict: 5G RSRP≥-72dBm, signal-to-noise ratio 5G SINR≥18dB, latency <20ms

. These indicators seem simple but require precise network planning and optimization in actual deployment.

MMTC Large-Scale Connection Implementation

MMTC (Massive Machine Type Communications) primarily solves large-scale connection problems in IoT scenarios

. The core technical implementation challenges include:1. Connection Density To support 1 million device connections within 1km², requirements include:

• New random access mechanisms
• Optimized resource allocation algorithms
• Efficient signaling processing

2. Power Consumption Control Most IoT devices need long-term operation, requiring:

• Optimized protocol stack
• Intelligent sleep-wake mechanisms
• Efficient data compression algorithms

Technical Data Analysis from Actual Deployment

Deep Analysis of Huawei Lab SA Network Test Data

We conducted detailed SA network testing in Huawei’s laboratory, with test data revealing the relationship between 5G network performance and signal quality

:Hangzhou Test Point:

• Signal strength: -72dBm
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 34dB
• Downlink rate: 826.4Mbps
• Uplink rate: 743.4Mbps
• Latency: 17.8ms
• Jitter: 0.000%

Shenzhen Test Point:

• Signal strength: -98dBm
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 22dB
• Downlink rate: 456.4Mbps
• Uplink rate: 406.7Mbps
• Latency: 18.3ms

Chengdu Test Point:

• Signal strength: -111dBm
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 10dB
• Downlink rate: 233.5Mbps
• Uplink rate: 236.4Mbps
• Latency: 22.1ms

Wuhan Test Point:

• Signal strength: -118dBm
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 5dB
• Downlink rate: 137.3Mbps
• Uplink rate: 137.4Mbps
• Latency: 21.3ms

This data set reveals several key patterns:

1. Non-linear relationship between signal strength and throughput: Signal strength decreasing from -72dBm to -98dBm results in about 45% throughput reduction; but from -98dBm to -111dBm, throughput drops about 49%. This indicates 5G networks are extremely sensitive to signal quality.

2. Critical value of signal-to-noise ratio: When the signal-to-noise ratio falls below 10dB, network performance degrades sharply. This is related to the high-order modulation technology used in 5G.

3. Relative stability of latency: Even under poor signal quality conditions, latency changes are relatively small, reflecting 5G network advantages in latency control.

Technical Considerations for SIM Card Selection

In 5G network deployment, SIM card selection is often overlooked, but it’s actually an important technical decision point

.Technical characteristics of IoT cards:

• Industrial temperature range: -40°C to +85°C
• Higher anti-vibration capability
• Longer service life (usually 10+ years)
• Dedicated APN access

Technical advantages of fixed IP: From a network architecture perspective, fixed IP is not just about management convenience, but more importantly:

• Reduced NAT conversion overhead
• Lower connection establishment time
• Improved end-to-end data transmission efficiency
• Support for more complex security policies

For vehicle applications, we strongly recommend using embedded SIM cards with industrial-grade and automotive-grade specifications or higher, as the vibration and temperature variations in vehicle environments place extremely high reliability requirements on SIM cards .

Technical Differences Between Public and Private Networks

Technical Challenges of Public Network Deployment

Public network 5G technical characteristics:

• Shared infrastructure, relatively low cost
• Network capacity significantly affected by user density
• Security depends on public network security mechanisms
• Difficult to guarantee service quality

Technical Advantages of Private Network Deployment

Core advantages of private network 5G:

• Independent network slicing, resource isolation
• Controllable service quality
• Higher security
• Customized network functions

From our deployment experience, for critical business applications, private network deployment, while costly, shows clear advantages in reliability and security .

Deep Applications of 5G in Industrial IoT

Practical Applications of Network Slicing Technology

Network slicing is one of 5G’s core technologies, allowing creation of multiple logically independent networks on the same physical network infrastructure. In industrial IoT applications, we typically create several types of slices:1. Control Slice: Used for real-time control signals, requiring ultra-low latency 2. Data Slice: Used for large data transmission, requiring high throughput 3. Management Slice: Used for device management and monitoring, requiring high reliability

Integration of Edge Computing and 5G

The combination of 5G and edge computing is key technology for achieving Industry 4.0. In our actual deployments, edge computing nodes are typically deployed at:

• Edge data centers within factories
• Edge devices near 5G base stations
• Edge computing units within vehicles

This architecture can reduce data processing latency to under 5ms, meeting real-time requirements for industrial control.

Technical Prospects and Challenges

Development Direction of 6G Technology

Although 5G is not yet fully mature, 6G research and development has already begun. From technology development trends, 6G will focus on solving:

• Terahertz communication technology
• Space-air-ground integrated networks
• Holographic communication
• Brain-computer interface communication

Current Technical Challenges

1. Energy consumption issues: 5G base station energy consumption is 3-4 times that of 4G
2. Coverage costs: Millimeter wave coverage range is small, requiring denser base station deployment
3. Terminal costs: 5G chip costs remain high
4. Standardization: Interoperability between different vendor equipment needs further improvement

Conclusion

5G networks are not just a communication technology upgrade, but a complete reconstruction of the technological ecosystem. From our actual deployment experience, 5G’s true value lies in its ability to support diverse application scenarios, particularly in industrial IoT and vehicle networking.However, 5G deployment and optimization is a complex systems engineering project requiring comprehensive consideration across multiple dimensions including network architecture, spectrum resources, and terminal equipment. Only by deeply understanding 5G’s technical essence can we fully leverage its advantages in practical applications.I hope this article provides valuable technical references for everyone. If you have specific technical questions, please feel free to discuss them in the comments section.